[gqsmoothster]

I don't know where to start searching for what this growth might be. It looks like some kind of moldy goop but I don't know the scientific name for that. Can anyone ID this clearish stuff so I can read/search on it? Thanks.

[Tank]

Originally Posted by gqsmoothster

I don't know where to start searching for what this growth might be. It looks like some kind of moldy goop but I don't know the scientific name for that. Can anyone ID this clearish stuff so I can read/search on it? Thanks.

I believe you're reffering to the white sponges in the photo? Not sure what the sci. name is, but we all have it. It's a sponge. Generaly grows in low light areas of our tanks.

[boo2boy]

I also have that growing in my tank. doesnt seem to be bothering anything but when i tried to scrape it off it spit out some white stuff. I dont think it is harmful and my lfs says that their not harmful at all.

[Reefland]

Good stuff, don't you just love liverock?

[Samper]

Harmless sponges that add to the biodiversity of your system. One day you will notice them in other spots too.

[gqsmoothster]

all are welcome comments. thanks to all for the reassurance.

[forestal]

looks like sponge, if the siphons open and close , may be a tunicate...either way, good stuff

[gqsmoothster]

OK. Got a good camera now, so I'm trying to confirm ID on a few things. Thanks for all the help so far.

Like I mentioned, I did a large water change with RO water, and even though my tank is about 10 months old, I saw a diatom bloom. No big problem. 3 large Mexican turbos were up to the task. Since I've moved, however, I have tried the crab-free route and I'm not sure I'm liking the change. When I had crabs (ah-hem), they seemed to take care of alot more waste (not that I overfeed, but sometimes food makes it to the bottom and sits). I do have some nassarius snails that run to the table scraps, but it just seems crabs were more efficient.

Anyway, I've got a mat of this red slime carpet stuff on one piece of LR. The carpet just started on the SB next to this piece of LR and has grown considerably over the last few days. My tank has been in good shape and I only use RO water to top-off, but I feel like I'm falling behind here. 80% of the water is new water anyway, so a water change isn't going to help much. I know I had enough biomass preserved that I'm not going through a new cycle (also backed up by clean water tests), but what gives? Is this the dreaded red slime algae, and what eats it? I do have a few strands of other algae (small, green, hair-like) that I know a Tang will devour (to join the tank soon), but do I need to go back to crabs for this red carpet? As for current bio-load I have one arc-eyed hawkfish (little demon I can't stand) and one green chromis (used to be a nice small school, but the hawkfish decided two auto feedings a day weren't enough).

Here's two pics of the new stuff. Any help with confirming ID?
(By the way, the LR in the picture looks newer than 10 months because it is a recent addition)

[Tank]

Originally Posted by gqsmoothster

OK. Got a good camera now, so I'm trying to confirm ID on a few things. Thanks for all the help so far.

Like I mentioned, I did a large water change with RO water, and even though my tank is about 10 months old, I saw a diatom bloom. No big problem. 3 large Mexican turbos were up to the task. Since I've moved, however, I have tried the crab-free route and I'm not sure I'm liking the change. When I had crabs (ah-hem), they seemed to take care of alot more waste (not that I overfeed, but sometimes food makes it to the bottom and sits). I do have some nassarius snails that run to the table scraps, but it just seems crabs were more efficient.

Anyway, I've got a mat of this red slime carpet stuff on one piece of LR. The carpet just started on the SB next to this piece of LR and has grown considerably over the last few days. My tank has been in good shape and I only use RO water to top-off, but I feel like I'm falling behind here. 80% of the water is new water anyway, so a water change isn't going to help much. I know I had enough biomass preserved that I'm not going through a new cycle (also backed up by clean water tests), but what gives? Is this the dreaded red slime algae, and what eats it? I do have a few strands of other algae (small, green, hair-like) that I know a Tang will devour (to join the tank soon), but do I need to go back to crabs for this red carpet? As for current bio-load I have one arc-eyed hawkfish (little demon I can't stand) and one green chromis (used to be a nice small school, but the hawkfish decided two auto feedings a day weren't enough).

Here's two pics of the new stuff. Any help with confirming ID?
(By the way, the LR in the picture looks newer than 10 months because it is a recent addition)

You have Cyano Algae there. You can do a few things to try to get rid of it. First and always the most important is to check your water quality. Watch for excessive lvls of nutrients. Secondly, which I had to do a few times back in my SB days, is to treat it with an anti-biotic. You can find such products at most online retailers. Some people do not like to use this approach because it may just be a band-aid if you don't find the root of the problem. And lastly, the approach I use currently, ditch the DSB and go BB. Allows for greater flow, and the ability to limit nutrients much better.


Chris

[Tank]

Also there are a limted few critters that will munch on it a bit. Fighting Conch, Queen Conch are the most accepable IMO. Also Sally Lightfoot crabs will eat it, but generaly I would not add crabs to my reef.

[gqsmoothster]

I do like the conch, but I'm afraid I'll run out of stuff for it to eat when competing with 3 mexican turbos. I have a 55 gallon, 25 gallon sump, and so i'm not sure if I'll have enough algae to sustain it.

Anyone see a yellow Tang eat this stuff? I may grab a half dozen scarlet hermits soon if I don't go with the conch.

[Samper]

The best way to get rid of the cyanobacteria is to increase flow in the areas it is growing in. I've seen my asterina stars eat it for sure but I think the majority of cleanup crew critters will munch on it. It's always present and it is a bacteria, cyano algae isn't correct.

[Tank]

Samper,

Ya got me. Caught me in a brain fart and I mistyped. However I would like to point out that increasing flow does not always eliminate the problem, nor does it get rid of the basic problem in the tank. And while it may always be present, it is not always present in such large colonies as to be visable to our eye. Either way flow can help, but the best method is to discover the cause of the out-break.

I personaly in 10 years or so have seen very few critters that will actualy consume a bacterial mat. I would surely not say that most will.

Chris

[Poseidon]

I had some, but it was from a lack of water changes on my part. In your case it sounds like maybe some left overs being... Well left over. I would increase flow, increase feeding frequency, but decrease amount in each feeding. (might help that ornery hawk too) As a last resort try the conch, maybe "borrow" one for a while.

[Samper]

Tank, now you got me but I will say that I don't believe cyano indicates a problem at all. It's always present but has to find it's optimum place in the system. My flow is pretty swift in my sps system and the only places it grows that I can see in the display is between my pvc framework for my rock and the glass. There is a noticable amount in my refugium though. Rick from Ricksreefs.com hooked me up with a pretty sweet cleanup crew a while back and something has eaten the cyano in every spot it possibly could but I shouldn't have said most critters will do it since it may have been only one species.... at any rate I'm fairly positive that a snail is responsible.

[Tank]

Samper,

I would look into the cause of your Cyano. Honestly I have not a spot of it in my 400 gal system. I wouldn't say that it is problematic to have small out-breaks, but I would be curious as to why it was in my system. Cyano being one of the most basic and resiliant forms of life on the planet does lend it the ability to hang in there even under circumstances that are not perfect for it, but it can be reduced to a lvl where it is not visable.

That is cool that you have a snail that is taking care of the problem. It would be nice to find out that a fairly small non-crab critter would be acceptable to use to control the bacteria. Either way it's all good. Seriously if you see something eating the stuff that is a smallish snail you should post up. Keep us informed!

Thanks,
Chris

[Samper]

Honestly I wish someone else would chime in here on this subject. I'm of the opinion that even though you don't see any it is always present. I don't consider it harmful either only an eyesore if it's all over the display but some hanging on the walls of my very low flow moderately lit fuge doesn't bother me. It is under control and I don't worry at all about it.

Just dug up this thread check it out:
Slime Algae

[Tank]

I am not argueing the fact that it is likely that the bacteria is always present. What I am saying is that it should not be colonizing into mats unless there is a nutrient problem of some sort. This can be a very localized nutrient issue as well. A dead critter in the sand may cause a colony to reproduce and form a mat.

It really doesn't matter if someone else chimes in or not, I have not seen Cyano in my tank in at least a year. I know my tank very well. Don't mean to sound short here, but not everyone has VISABLE Cyano in there tanks. Keep in mind that my system is an extreme. I also haven't had fish in it untill recently, meaning I had no additive nutients. Conditions must be met to cause it to "bloom". Thats a fact.

Thanks,
Chris

[gqsmoothster]

For what it's worth, I've broken up the mat a bit and moved the powerhead to a more influential position on this matter. We'll see what happens.

[gqsmoothster]

Thanks for the link Samper. I actually posted to that thread. My turbos didn't end up eating it though.

One thing I just thought of as I re-read the thread was that I may benefit from a macroalgae in my sump (DIY with built in area for fuge). I should get this going soon.

Also, I have a FOWLR setup and may add a few SPS in the future. WOuld a chocolate chip star be SOOOO bad?